


Don't Be Late for Fate

by whisperingmusic



Category: Free!
Genre: Almost every character shows up, Fluff and Angst, Historical, M/M, Mutual Pining, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Slow Build, Train AU, plot heavy
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-04
Updated: 2016-02-04
Packaged: 2018-05-18 06:38:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,297
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5902183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whisperingmusic/pseuds/whisperingmusic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In the industrial city of Glaive, Rei and Rin have been preparing themselves for Rei's first day on the rails. Rin introduces Rei to his world of overly energetic/grumpy/stoic/kind/beautiful friends in a whirlwind of steam, rain, fluff and angst. </p><p>Rated T for Rin's pottymouth.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Be Late for Fate

**Author's Note:**

> *crawls out of the depths of schoolwork, stress, and sleep deprivation*
> 
> HELLO! I've had this stupid AU stuck in my head for months, and the lovely Lady-Spindle finally annoyed me enough with train puns to somehow inspire me. Ya, I don't know either.
> 
> Based off lovely official art that I found on tumblr last year.

“REI! C’mon, we’re gonna be late! Oi, don’t run into me, you—”

Rei nearly slid into Rin on his way to the door of their shared apartment, but turned around last minute to collect his small work bag.

“You got your little time thing? And that wad of chicken scratch you call the schedule?” Rin asked very impatiently.

“First of all,” Rei huffed indignantly while trying to put his navy blue blazer on inside out, “My ‘time thing’ is a brand new, state-of-the-art, finely-crafted 1908 silver conductor’s watch, and second—”

"Yeah, yeah, whatever.” Rin stood by the door, amused by Rei’s complete lack of composure for once. Rei realized his uniform blazer had turned on him and was frantically trying to right it while attempting to grab his cap from a hook on the wall. Rin, always the older brother figure, picked the cap from the hook, grabbed Rei’s bag from its spot on the floor where Rei had dropped it while fighting with his blazer, and waited for Rei to quit screwing with his blazer cufflinks.

As Rei finished fixing his uniform and plopped his cap on his head, Rin collected his own worn mail bag and opened the door, gesturing for his younger friend to hurry up and leave already. They weren’t running terribly late, but they still jogged down the winding downhill road toward the train station.

On their short jog, Rin pointed out a couple who were walking leisurely on the side of the road up ahead.

“See those two guys? I know, the black-haired guy doesn’t look like much, but he’s actually our head engineer, Nanase. Not very talkative, but he’s super protective of his friend there, Tachibana. Nice guy, sorta like everyone’s mom. And he’s our chief fireman. Nanase drives the steam engine, Tachibana makes sure she has the coal and water needed to make the trip.”

Rin yelled a friendly “hey, Nanase, Tachibana!” while Rei acknowledged the two as they passed, earning them a small nod from Nanase and a smile and wave from Tachibana. Rei noticed that Nanase’s uniform, a faded light blue, was mostly covered in old grease stains and his squared hat had a band of gold with _Head Engineer – Haruka Nanase_ engraved across it. Tachibana’s uniform had large patches of coal dust forever stained on it, making it difficult to tell if his outfit had ever been a color other than dark gray. His cap was more rounded than Nanase’s, but it had the same gold band with _Chief Fireman – Makoto Tachibana_ engraved on it.

Once Rin and Rei were well ahead of Nanase and Makoto, Rei continued their conversation. “So, uh, since they will most likely always be in the engine cab, will I ever get to meet them properly?”

“Ah, yeah. I’m sure the boss forgot to mention this, but before the Moirai leaves the station, the crew meets for a short meeting in the room behind the ticket windows. Then boss—er, Sasabe, makes us comb her over to make sure she’s in proper order before any tickets get sold. We don’t leave until each head or chief gives the go-ahead.”

“O-oh, I see. And how many, uh, heads or chiefs does Sasabe-san employ?” Somewhat out of breath, Rin stopped about two blocks away from the station to collect himself and prepare for another explanation. Rei stood next to him patiently, completely used to jogging from his daily runs along the beach at their end of town.

“Well,” Rin started as they began walking again, “There’s of course Sasabe, who owns the station and the Moirai. He’s the one who hired you, God knows why…” Rei half-heartedly punched Rin in the arm as a response, earning him a knowing smirk. “After him there’s Nanase and Tachibana, since they, y’know, _run the fucking engine_.” Rei gave Rin a pointed look before Rin rolled his eyes and continued.

“Then there’s Sera, the head conductor, who you’ll be working with in the passenger cars. After Sera there’s the head flagman, who works as both flagman and brakeman, but—”

Rin cut his words off once he recognized the figure that was barreling toward him. He couldn’t help but mutter _son of a bitch, speak of the devil_ , earning himself a patronizing look from Rei.

“RIN-CHAN! Rin-chan-Rin-chan-Riiiiiiin-chaaaan!” Before he could move out of the way Rin had a leech hanging around his waist that was squeezing the air out of him.

“I HEARD YOU THE FIRST FUCKING TIME YOU LITTLE SHIT, NOW LET ME BREEEEEATH—ugh, what the fuck, Nagisa! Could you _please_ stop that, you’re fucking 18 now, stop acting like—”

Rei, eyebrows knitted together and eyes betraying his confusion, didn’t even register Rin’s constant swearing as he watched Rin chew out the blonde kid who looked _far too young to be working on the rails_ in his deep blue blazer with shiny gold buttons and trim. A silver whistle hung from a circle of bright yellow rope around the boy’s neck and he held a red flag in the hand that wasn’t occupied scratching his cheek as Rin continued his scolding. Rei noticed the boy’s light pink tie, which accentuated his darker magenta eyes and the rosy tint of his cheeks that probably burned from the cold.

Before he could fully realize just how _stunningly beautiful_ this boy was, Rei noticed his more squared hat. Brighter and newer than Nanase’s and Tachibana’s, the gold band proudly displayed _Head Flagman – Nagisa Hazuki_ in elegant engraving. A pit formed in Rei’s stomach as he realized the implications of the boy’s job; no matter the weather, this Nagisa, who was the same young age as Rei, would be charged with jumping from the tops of each of the Moirai’s seven cars, excluding the engine cab and coal car, and setting brakes whenever she needed to slow down or stop. Whenever the Moirai stopped, Nagisa would be required to disembark and receive any new orders or track updates for the Moirai. When the Moirai prepared to leave station, Nagisa was in charge of flagging the head engineer to give the signal to start moving, making him one of the _veteran_ crew members.

The most confusing aspect of the situation, Rei thought, was that this young man, who had so far survived the deadliest of rail jobs, had worked his way up over the past few years to secure a high-ranking position, _but had continued working as a flagman/brakeman despite the dangers_.

Throughout Rei’s internal observations, Rin and the boy, Nagisa, had started bantering, and Rin currently had a laughing Nagisa, _the head fucking flagman_ , locked in a noogie as if they were young brothers fighting, not two responsible, employed adults working on the rails in 1908.

Embarrassed on Rin’s behalf, Rei decided to end the two’s rough-housing. “Uh, excuse me, Rin-san, Hazuki-san, could you two please stop this childishness this instant? It’s highly unprofessional.”

The two instantly stopped but retained their positions of Rin holding Nagisa’s head in a noogying position and Nagisa gripping Rin’s arms to fight back. They had forgotten Rei was there and stared at him with wide, surprised eyes. Even more embarrassed, Rei simply pushed up his glasses, cleared his throat, and stiffly walked the rest of the way to the station.

He had walked about ten feet before a voice called out.

“WAIT! Please, uhm, glasses guy, wait for a sec, would ya?”

Rei slowed his pace before solidifying his resolve and jogging the remaining block to the station. He walked around to the other side, and, no longer hearing Nagisa’s yells to _stop, please, you’re too fast!_ stepped through the back door of the Glaive City Train Station, burning red ears hidden under his deep blue hat that read _Assistant Conductor – Rei Ryuugazaki_.

**Author's Note:**

> YOU'VE SURVIVED THE WORLD-BUILDING! WOOO!
> 
> Not sure how often updates will be since school :(
> 
> BUT! I'm relatively active on tumblr, so come visit me at [my trash heap](http://whispering-music.tumblr.com/)
> 
> FUN FACTS:  
> \- In Greek Mythology, Moirai (the steam engine's name) is the name of the three white-robed keepers of destiny known as the Fates.
> 
> \- This work's name, Don't be late for Fate, is sort of a pun since the Fates are known as Moirai. I meant it as like "Don't be late for the train :D" but Fate sounded cooler aaaand it turned into a pun XD
> 
> \- I have almost 100 screenshots of steam engines on my laptop now for references. My plan is to make this as historically accurate as possible without using too much technical jargon. Did you know the coal car has water in it? And that it's called a Tender? ~The more you knooow~
> 
> \- While I was trying to post this, my HORRIBLY PUNNY roommate Lady-Spindle wouldn't cut it out with the puns and just...other crap.   
> "Anytime is train time;"   
> "Call the chapter 'Rei and Rin walk together and run into Nagisa;'"   
> "Rei and Nagisa sitting in a train, K-I-S-S-I-N-G-oh wait that doesn't work;"   
> (after I yelled at her to stop with the puns) "I'M JUST A RUNAWAY TRAIN HUEHUEHUE;"   
> and my personal favorite, from when I was running through plot points with her: "ARE THEY (Rei and Nagi) GONNA MAKE OUT IN THE CABOOSE? Serious question right now...."
> 
> [Official art this is based on](https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/1f/6e/4f/1f6e4f3b139fedf8e1f293d21275b440.jpg)


End file.
